Secular celebrations

Secular celebrations include the following national holidays: January 1 is New Year's Day; March 8 is International Women's Day, honoring the contribution of women to society; May 1 is Labor Day, celebrating the significance and the contribution of the working class and including a parade of citizens; Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, commemorates the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Independence Day is celebrated on July 3 and signifies the liberation of Minsk from the Nazi troops during World War II. The October Revolution Holiday, commemorating victory of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, is celebrated on November 7.

What are the Belarusians like?

First of all, let us see what has been influencing the formation of the Belarusian national character. We'll start with the natural and climatic conditions.

There is a precise definition for our climate, “moderate". We have no heat or bitining frosts, no high temperature jamps in the summertime and winter. Lithuania is not far away from Belarus, but it is a maritime area, where land and sea meet, while the sea is quite different a life. They’ve got storms, winds and unpredictability there. And the characters there are different: austereand businesslike, they are formed by a transition from one element to the other. Sharp contrasts outside, inside and in the souls are not typical for Belarus.

Now to the landscape. Our rivers are flat, cairn and not very deep. They are homely and dear. All the rest landscape feature follow the same pattern. Hills, rather than mountains. Fields, rather than deserts and prairies. The Belarusian character has no somberness and tense readiness for unexpected dangers. The nature of Belarus does not know storms or any cataclysms in general. Therefore, the Belarusians are trustful and on the whole optimistic, they never expect a misfortune.

The Belarusians are accustomed to work hard, so as to produce something on this soil, sand or clay, that is why they are patient and hardworking. "Uparty Belarus", or an "obstinate Belarusians" is a very precise definition. The environmental peculiarities require our universality. We must be able of doing much, if not everything. Diligence and university are the qualities that have been and still are helping us to survive. Moreover, the Belarusians are undemanding and, modest. To a certain degree they are accustomed to poverty. A Belarusian does not need very much any external demonstrations, he is more oriented at internal work.

The Belarusian music, songs and folklore may also say a lot about the national character. They are merry, but no horrible Russian misery. The word "destiny" is often mentioned in our vocabulary, although the Belarusians can hardly be named fatalists. Due to his calm and reserve a Belarusian is more conservative and stable in his styles and ways of life.